


It's Time to Face the Music

by MarineDynamite



Category: LoliRock (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - X Factor Fusion, Gen, Song Lyrics, the 'Rocks aren't magical alien princesses in this universe, there will be divergences from reality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-11
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-30 07:16:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8523652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarineDynamite/pseuds/MarineDynamite
Summary: In 2014, three girls from the town of Sunny Bay, bonded by their shared passion for music and desire to bring more positivity to the world, form a girl group that would eventually be known as LoliRock. Two years later, they get the chance to audition for The X-Factor, the biggest platform an aspiring recording artist living in the United Kingdom could ask for. And whether they'll succeed or not, it's bound to be quite the journey for them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've been toying around with this idea for quite a while now. It mostly spawned from my recent addiction to the current X-Factor season as well as musing what it would be like if Iris auditioned for that instead of LoliRock... Then I remembered that Groups have always been one of the main X-Factor categories, and thus, the AU was born. I really hope you guys enjoy it!
> 
> (For the purpose of this AU, Sunny Bay is located on the coastal area of England.)

Ever since she could remember, Iris Ephraim always had an interest in music. She was constantly singing, whether it was in the shower or during a road trip or even just alone in her room. In late 2013, after the death of her parents in an accident, which prompted her to be sent to Sunny Bay, England, to live with her aunt Ellen, she started dabbling in songwriting, venting out her feelings in original songs. That was when she met Talia Xander and Auriana Voltaire, two girls who had also moved in from North America before her, and who also shared her interest in music. This led, one year later, to the formation of a group that would eventually be known as LoliRock, which many residents of Sunny Bay, including Aunt Ellen, happily began showing heaps of support for throughout the first two years of their existence. 

But as much as the girls loved Sunny Bay and its people, Iris felt it wasn't enough. She didn't want to spread the group's messages of friendship and positivity through just one town, but throughout the whole world as well. She, Talia and Auriana all agreed the group needed a platform to share their talent and craft with those outside their hometown. So it was only fair that they signed up to audition for _The X-Factor_ , the biggest singing competition in the country. Many recording artists the girls enjoyed and looked up to got their start on the show: Leona Lewis, One Direction, Olly Murs, Little Mix... 

Thus, the three, joined by Aunt Ellen, booked a flight to Manchester in order to participate in that year's X-Factor auditions. Although Auriana woke up late and messed up their plans, they managed to arrive just in time to be called into their gate. As they awaited the arrival of their flight, the girls remained seated as they watched Aunt Ellen order them something to eat from a café that was several gates away. Within minutes, she headed back to where they were, carrying three paper bags. "Here you go, girls!" she said, handing the bags over to the girls. "Savor it while you still can. After that, it'll be nothing but airline food for the next two-and-a-half hours." 

"Thanks!" Auriana replied, reaching into the bag to take out the double chocolate chip muffin and mango juice she had asked for. "And I know you mean well when you say that, Aunt Ellen, but when I'm done with these, I'm heading into that nearby convenience store to get myself some chips and candy bars, some magazines, and maybe a plush doll or two..." 

Talia let out a light chuckle as she leaned over to Auriana, who was sitting right beside her. "Just be careful you don't throw up when we go into turbulence, okay?" she remarked, before turning to Iris, who was enjoying a strawberry frappuccino and a chicken sandwich, and asking her, "So, Iris, are you nervous?" 

In response, Iris blushed and began fidgeting with her hair. "A little, I'll admit. But having you guys as my bandmates, and Aunt Ellen here to support me... Just makes me feel all the more confident." 

Upon hearing that, Aunt Ellen sighed, putting her hands over her heart. "You're gonna make me cry..." she told Iris, before reaching over to hug her, as carefully as possible in order not to spill her food. "Regardless of what happens, I'm already so proud of you. And I'm sure that, if they were here with us, your parents would be too." 

Such a mention made Iris let out a bittersweet sigh, her gaze turning to the pink heart-shaped jewel pendant she constantly wore around her neck, the last gift her parents gave her before their passing. "Sometimes it's hard for me to cope with the fact that they're gone... But I know that if it wasn't for them, there wouldn't have been a LoliRock, and I wouldn't be here... So, in a way, it ended up being more of a blessing than anything. I love you girls so much.” 

As she spoke, she exchanged warm smiles with Talia and Auriana, the latter of which aww’ed softly. “We love you too, Iris.” Talia replied, reaching over to put a hand on Iris’ shoulder. “And regardless of whether our audition is successful or not, we’re sticking together to the very end.” 

After the heartfelt conversation, the girls and Aunt Ellen spent half an hour eating and talking while waiting for their flight to arrive, with Auriana doing as she said earlier and buying them some goodies at the convenience store. Before they knew it, it was finally time for them to board the flight, and while the additional baggage of the junk food and magazines Auriana bought did drag them down a little bit, they managed to successfully get to their seats in time, with another half hour before take-off. And when it finally took off, it was absolutely exhilarating. They were finally on their way to Manchester to make their dreams come true. And regardless of what the judges would say about them, hopefully it would be worth it either way. 

During the flight, as Talia and Aunt Ellen slept and Auriana read one of her magazines, Iris decided to take out her favorite notebook, in which she occasionally jotted down original song lyrics with a pink glitter pen. Between the excitement of the flight itself and the conversation from earlier, Iris had been hit with a massive jolt of inspiration, and wanted to make the most of it, taking a brief, hopeful look out the window before beginning to write down a new song. 

"There is not a single day... Your heart does not open... If you have the best friends forever..." 

* * *

 Following a long first day of arriving in Manchester, checking into their choice hotel and hanging out to relieve stress, the girls and Aunt Ellen woke bright and early for the long-awaited audition day. To the LoliRock trio, especially Iris, the experience was breathtaking, far more than they could have ever dreamed of, from seeing all those happy, innocent hopefuls gathered around the EventCity building, cheering and singing and having the time of their lives, to getting their number, to finally watching the judges arrive in all their glory, each in a shiny black limousine. 

This was really happening. 

They were going to sing in front of _Simon freaking Cowell_. 

The thought of that alone was enough to make Iris tremble on her spot. 

Fortunately, Aunt Ellen was there to make things better. “Are you getting anxious, Iris?” she asked, placing a hand on her niece’s shoulder. “Please don’t be. I have faith you and your friends will get quite a positive reaction out of the judges.” 

In response, Iris took a deep breath and smiled at her aunt. “Thanks, Aunt Ellen...” she said with a sigh. “I just hope their standards aren’t too high.” 

“Uh, pardon me for interrupting your moment...” said Talia, giving Iris a light nudge. “But I’m pretty sure Dermot O’Leary is coming over to talk to us.” 

Upon hearing that, Auriana immediately stood up, looking around the sea of people until she noticed that, indeed, the _X-Factor_ host himself was approaching them. “Hi, Mr. O’Leary! Over here!” she shouted, giddily waving towards him. 

Dermot grinned as he finally reached the girls and Ellen, who all smiled politely at him, allowing him to sit beside the seat that was Talia’s. “Hey there, ladies! Welcome to _The X-Factor_!” he greeted them, “You’re... LoliRock, right?” 

Talia nodded in agreement as she, Iris and Auriana sat back down. “I’m Talia, those two are Iris and Auriana...” she introduced, gesturing over to her bandmates and to Aunt Ellen, the last of which waved to Dermot with a somewhat nervous smile. “...and there’s Iris’ aunt Ellen, who’s just here for support.” 

“I can’t carry a tune to save my life!” Aunt Ellen added, scratching the back of her neck. “But if there’s something all of us know about Iris, it’s that she’s at her happiest when she sings, and I know she has an absolutely lovely voice—all three of them do, really! I’m confident they have what it takes to impress the judges and make waves in the competition. Regardless of what happens, I’m already so proud of them.” 

At that, Iris couldn’t help but blush a little, as Auriana giggled and Dermot nodded in acknowledgement. “That’s great to hear.” Dermot replied, “So, what’s with the group name? I mean, LoliRock? Isn’t that a little...” 

“Oh, oh, I came up with it!” Auriana interjected, “It was originally LolliRock, with two L’s, as in a combo of ‘lollipop’ and ‘rock’. I wanted it to reflect the kind of music we want to make, which would be sweet like candy, but also empowering and uplifting. Then during one of our first concerts, it got misspelled as LoliRock, with one L, and the people from our hometown started referring to us as such, so it kinda stuck.” 

“ _Ohh_ , that makes sense! You girls sound like you’ll be a lot of fun.” Dermot said, patting Talia on the back, which unnerved her a little. “I wish you girls the best of luck in your audition. And by the way, Auriana, you don’t have to call me Mr. Leary. Just Dermot is fine.” 

Soon, it was finally time for LoliRock to audition. After one last good luck wish (and pat on Iris’ back) from Aunt Ellen, the girls made their way to the famous audition room, and as they entered, they sported hopeful smiles as they came face to face with the judges: Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne, Nicole Scherzinger, and of course, Simon Cowell. Talia in particular felt her lower lip tremble when she laid her eyes on Nicole. “Oh, hi there!” the former Pussycat Doll greeted them. 

The girls quickly positioned themselves in front of the large red and white backdrop, directly facing the judges. “So who are you?” Simon asked them. 

“We’re LoliRock!” Iris replied, beaming. “I’m Iris, and I’m 16.” 

“I’m Auriana! I’m 16 too!” Auriana added. 

Finally, Talia cleared her throat before completing, “I’m Talia, and I’m 17.” 

In response, Simon nodded in acknowledgement. “And how did the group form?” he asked, stroking his chin.

“We met three years ago, when I moved to Sunny Bay after my parents died, but we didn’t actually form the group until one year or so after that.” Iris explained, “We found out we had a lot in common, including our passion for music and wanting to bring more positivity to others. I’ve actually written some original material myself.” 

As Iris spoke, Auriana, who noticed how flustered Talia looked before Nicole, couldn’t help but flash a knowing grin at her bandmate, prompting Talia to subtly roll her eyes. “What are you gonna sing for us?” Nicole asked. 

“We’re singing ‘Boom Clap’ by Charli XCX.” Iris replied.

 Meanwhile, while the other auditionees and their families watched the audition on a large screen, Aunt Ellen stood by the monitors that were showing it from four different angles, watching the girls proudly, with Dermot standing by her side, holding her by the shoulders. Once the judges gave the girls the go-ahead, the auditionees applauded in respect, and Aunt Ellen’s face lit up. After a few seconds, the instrumental track began to play, allowing the girls to start singing.

  **[I]**

_You're picture perfect blue, sunbathing on the moon_

_Stars shining as your bones illuminate_

  **[A]**

_First kiss just like a drug, under your influence_

_You take me over, you're the magic in my veins_

_This must be love_  

As the three sang, the judges appeared focused and impressed, exchanging looks of interest and curiosity, and noticing how comfortable the girls seemed to be while singing together, showcasing the chemistry they’ve developed over the three years they’ve been friends. Sharon in particular was quietly chuckling to herself, while Simon smiled, paying close attention to Iris. 

**[All Three]**

_Boom! Clap! The sound of my heart_

_The beat goes on and on and on and on and_

_Boom! Clap! you make me feel good_

_Come on to me, come on to me now_  

Then, it was time for Talia’s solo. While all three girls had beautiful, distinct voices, Talia’s was the most powerful, with a rich and soulful tone that instantly got the judges’ attention.  

**[T]**

_You are the light and I will follow_

_You let me lose my shadow_

_You are the sun, the glowing halo_

_And you keep burning me up with your love, oh!_  

**[All Three]**

_Boom! Clap! The sound of my heart_

_The beat goes on and on and on and on and_

_Boom! Clap! you make me feel good_

_Come on to me, come on to me now_

_Boom! Clap! The sound of my heart_

_The beat goes on and on and on and on and_

_Boom! Clap! you make me feel good_

_Come on to me, come on to me now_  

Once the song came to a close, the auditionees erupted in applause, as Aunt Ellen began jumping up and down, feeling as if her heart was about to burst. The judges applauded as well, visibly pleased. “Very good. Louis, what do you think?” Simon asked. 

“That was...” Louis began, clearing his throat before continuing, “...Interesting. You work well together, you all have great voices... If anything, I can see potential in you. Quite an enjoyable audition.” 

“Sharon?”

Sharon smiled as she leaned forward, gesturing towards the girls. “You girls are fantastic singers and you have so much palpable star quality!” Sharon exclaimed, “You’re likable, you’re fun, you have chemistry... You did go a little off-key during that final chorus, but other than that, excellent.” 

“Nicole?”

“Well, that definitely brought a smile to my face!” Nicole stated, “You’re so charming, I love the dynamic the three of you have, you have great harmonies and I love it that you’re so focused on bringing positivity and love and happiness, especially in times like these. Well done.” 

So far, so good. The girls giggled and smiled at each other at the glowing praise from the judges. Now all they needed was Simon’s feedback. “Being a girl group, you should for the most part be concerned, because girl groups usually don’t have the best track record here on _The X-Factor_...” Simon told them. 

Upon hearing that, Iris bit her lower lip, fearing the worst. It is no wonder she was so nervous earlier; he was the judge she was the most familiar with, not just from _X-Factor_ but also from occasionally watching early seasons of _American Idol_ as a child, so she was aiming to impress him the most. From her experience with both shows, she knew just how blunt Simon could be, especially to auditionees and contestants that he didn’t consider good enough. 

“...but from that audition, I can tell you girls could go places on this show.” 

Hearing that from Simon was enough to elicit a silent, but evident sigh of relief from Iris, who wiped a droplet of sweat from her brow, as Auriana grabbed onto her left arm in excitement. That, combined with the other judges’ feedback, could only mean something good for them... 

Louis was the first to give his verdict. “I’m gonna say yes.” 

Then came Sharon. “You’re twinkling stars in the making, it’s a yes from me!” 

It was then Nicole’s turn. “It’s a yes from me too.” 

Finally, Simon tapped his chin for a good five seconds, watching the anticipation grow in the girls’ faces. “Don’t let me down, girls. You have four yeses.” 

Thus, the camel’s back was broken. LoliRock was officially in. The girls squealed in utter joy as they hugged each other tight before approaching the judges to thank them for giving them a chance. “We promise we’re gonna do our best!” Iris told Simon, shaking his hand, before following her bandmates out of the room, leaving Simon to give them a lasting look of approval. 

Outside, Aunt Ellen was unable to contain her excitement and pride, screaming as she grabbed Dermot by the arms. Almost immediately, she rushed over to meet the girls on their way out, giving Iris a tight hug overflowing with pure love. “I always knew you could do it!” Aunt Ellen exclaimed, allowing Iris to return the hug, with Auriana soon joining in, all three jumping up and down while Talia just grinned and wiped the sweat off her brow. 

With such a satisfying start to LoliRock’s journey, Boot Camp couldn’t come fast enough.


End file.
